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100. Though a thousand be the statements,
With words of no avail,
Better is a single word of welfare,
Having heard which, one is pacified.
101. Though a thousand be the verses,
With words of no avail,
Better is a single line of verse,
Having heard which, one is pacified.
102. And should one recite a hundred verses,
With words of no avail,
Better is one dhamma word,
Having heard which, one is pacified.
103. He, truly, is supreme in battle,
Who would conquer himself alone,
Rather than he who would conquer in battle
A thousand, thousand men.
104. Better, indeed, oneself conquered
[Rather than] these other folk.
Of a person who has won himself,
Who is constantly living in self-control.
105. Neither a god nor a gandhabba,
Nor Mara together with Brahma,
Could turn the victory into defeat
Of a living being like that.
106 Month by month, with a thousand,
One might offer sacrifice a hundred times,
And another, to one self-composed,
Might offer worship for but a second;
Truly, that worship is better
Than what was offered a hundred years.
107. And were a living being for a hundred years
To tend a fire in a forest,
And were another, to one self-composed,
To offer worship for but a second;
Truly, that worship is better
Than what was offered a hundred years.
108. Whatever sacrifice or offering in the world
One seeking merit might sacrifice for a year;
Even all that does not “reach a quarter” –
Better the respectful greetings to the straight of gait.
109. For one in the habit of showing respect,
Of always honouring elder ones,
Four qualities increase:
Life, complexion, ease, and strength.
110. And should one live a hundred years
Devoid of virtue, uncomposed;
Better still is one day lived
Of one possessed of virtue, a meditator.
111. And should one live a hundred years
Devoid of insight, uncomposed;
Better still is one day lived
Of one possessed of insight, a meditator.
112. And should one live a hundred years
Indolent, of inferior enterprise;
Better still is one day lived
Of one initiating enterprise, firm.
113. And should one live a hundred years
Not seeing “the rise and demise”;
Better still is one day lived
Of one seeing “the rise and demise”.
114. And should one live a hundred years
Not seeing the immortal state;
Better still is one day lived
Of one who sees the immortal state.
115. And should one live a hundred years
Not seeing dhamma supreme;
Better still is one day lived
Of one seeing dhamma supreme.